Options for a 5513 Gen Dial - Currently in Cartel case, opinions appreciated

[tats]

Hey all.  I just picked up a beauty of a 5513 with a genuine spider dial (that I am in love with) from here  specs are:

Gen 5513 WG spider dial

Gen 703 Crown

Gen Eta 2846

ST hands

Cartel case

WSO 580 endlinks on rep 93150

I've always toyed with the thought of going uber franken and would welcome any ideas from the group as to available options vs cost.  

I would like to have a correctly engraved case so I can throw this on leather occasionally and have already spoke to engraving guru JMB, however I am wondering if it is worth it to have him engrave THIS case or if I should go another route.  I'm also a bit unsure about the current bezel as it has a fair amount of vertical play and appears to rock from side to side.  This segways nicely into my next thought about the insert, which I'm not sure is accurate and wouldn't mind a slightly faded insert.  I do however, love the dial and the crystal which is the original cartel but the dome effect is great. 

 

So if you've made it this far, thanks and I'd welcome any thoughts in the vein of "here's what I would do" ranging from keep it to get a gen 1520/30 and phong case.  Obviously there is a point where it becomes smarter to suck it up and buy a gen but I'd like to hear what options you would consider. 

 

The dome/superdome on this makes head-on photos difficult but here is a general shot

A great one of the spidering

And another with a massive overhead light reflection, but it gives an idea of the CGs and overall case shape. 

Edited January 8, 2016 by tats

[highoeyazmuhudee]

fix the crown guards, get better hands. i wouldnt worry about engravings, nobody looks, and the gens get smudged out anyways from the endlinks.

the difference between doing the above work and going a super franken is probably several thousand.

you can still get 100% gen tritium two line 14060 no date subs for under $4000 essentially the same as a 5513 but more affordable and more plentiful and with a sapphire crystal which is really the only difference between late period and early period 5513-14060.

you can sell what you have there for probably $600 on the low end

 

[tats]

Thanks high.  That's what I figured.  

To your hand suggestion, is it a matter of the hands themselves or the lume.  In natural light I actually think the lume color matches perfectly.  

 

[Beachcomber]

Those are some of the worst looking hands I have ever seen, it's not the colour match that's the problem. As for the CGs, ahhhhhhh horrible. As high says, sell it and get yourself something else.

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[UmpaHimself]

Or you can just enjoy it as is

[tats]

Those are some of the worst looking hands I have ever seen, it's not the colour match that's the problem. As for the CGs, ahhhhhhh horrible. As high says, sell it and get yourself something else.

Thanks i guess.  I've seen a fair amount of reps with the ST hands and assumed they were fairly well accepted and while these don't look too different from many of the gen pics I've seen, maybe I'm not looking for the right things.

Or you can just enjoy it as is

Thanks.  I will and I really do love the dial.  

[alligoat]

Definitely trim the crown guards, install a new set of hands and color them to match the dial and maybe age the bezel insert. The pearl is ok and if you age the insert it will make it look more like a 30 year old watch.

Dial feet have already been cut, so I'd forget about an uber franken. Besides it would cost you $2000 plus to do one. Case- $1K and movement- $1k plus.

[tats]

Definitely trim the crown guards, install a new set of hands and color them to match the dial and maybe age the bezel insert. The pearl is ok and if you age the insert it will make it look more like a 30 year old watch.

Dial feet have already been cut, so I'd forget about an uber franken. Besides it would cost you $2000 plus to do one. Case- $1K and movement- $1k plus.

Thanks for this. Here is a macro pic of the hands because the lume color looks almost perfect to the naked eye, but I'm sure the dome is playing a part since the reflections are so tough

[droptopman]

Love that dial.  I think I know where this came from, I remember the dial.  Depends on if you are doing the work yourself or paying to have it done.  If you have the skills to replace the hands then you might consider that.  If you have to send it out, I would just work those CG's a little and fade the insert.  Keep it simple.  You said the bezel was a little off, so while you trying to sort that out, fade the insert and work on the CG's.  You can do that without taking the whole watch apart.  As already stated, does not make much sense to do a high end franken build on a watch you can buy a nice gen for 4-5K.  

Enjoy the watch.    

[highoeyazmuhudee]

maybe get a relume on the dial and pair it with TC hands. find a lumi insert and get the CGs done.

if you like the almond look of the tritium there are some modders who can relume with an old tritium color.

the lume plots on this dial look a little odd

but trim the CGs and get TC hands, its not hard to repaint them and color match. those two mods alone will make all the difference, and id start with those

[UmpaHimself]

maybe get a relume on the dial and pair it with TC hands. find a lumi insert and get the CGs done.

if you like the almond look of the tritium there are some modders who can relume with an old tritium color.

the lume plots on this dial look a little odd

but trim the CGs and get TC hands, its not hard to repaint them and color match. those two mods alone will make all the difference, and id start with those

What's the issue with the hands. Is it the spacing between where the lume is applied?

[Beachcomber]

Take a look at these hands. You tell

Is what the difference is.

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[UmpaHimself]

Take a look at these hands. You tell

Is what the difference is. 

The lume area does look wider and the mercedes Y looks a little thinner. Am I close? 

[highoeyazmuhudee]

The lume area does look wider and the mercedes Y looks a little thinner. Am I close? 

its the proportions, the gen is definitely wider and more sharp looking at the tips. the second hand also tapers where as the rep hands are square

[UmpaHimself]

its the proportions, the gen is definitely wider and more sharp looking at the tips. the second hand also tapers where as the rep hands are square

I never noticed that about the seconds hand. Thanks for the info!

[username here]

who would you recommend for modding?

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[mui.richard.hk]

Hi Tats,

Remember your evil twin?

The first things I didn't like when I first received mine was the hands. Gen hands have a curvature to them but the hands on our piece are completely flat. A bit hard to explain in words but if you've handled a TC with V2 hands or gen you'll know. And like some already mentioned the proportions of the hands are wrong as well.

Here's a photo of the TC V2 hands and I think you can see how they are curved and pick up light reflections...

Second thing was the CGs. I trimmed the CGs slightly but since I don't have any power tools it's only coming together slowly.

There really is no point going uberfranken at all. A decent gen is only about 7k so I for one wouldn't bother.

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[highoeyazmuhudee]

On 1/20/2016 at 2:06 AM, mui.richard.hk said:

Second thing was the CGs. I trimmed the CGs slightly but since I don't have any power tools it's only coming together slowly.

 

id trim the outside of the crown guards a bit. inside isnt bad